Ford Mustangs Go After BMW M3s – 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona

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Last year BMW was the clear winner of the Grand Sports (GS) class in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, grabbing the Manufacturers Championship while Turner Motorsport captured the Driver and Team Championships with their M3 Coupes.

Naturally BMW hopes to repeat its success this year especially on Friday at the Daytona Speedway in the BMW Performance 200, which is the first round of the 2012 Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC).

Turner Motorsports returns with the same drivers – Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana in car no. 96 and Michael Marsal and Boris Said in car no. 97. The team might be favorites to win but several teams campaigning Ford Mustangs are determined to give them a run for the money. Roush Performance, which finished second in the 2011 CTSCC, has expanded its team with three Mustang Boss 302Rs, including one driven by Jack Roush Jr.

According to a news bulletin Starworks Motorsport will take the shackles off their herd of Mustangs at Daytona this weekend. The Fort Lauderdale-based team will have no less than four Venezuelan-backed Ford Mustangs in the stable. Yes really. The team, which competes in the Grand Am series but will be a newcomer in this series, goes on to say it has saddled up some of the hottest driving talent around — with regular drivers Ryan Dalziel from Scotland, and Venezuelans Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow joining current FIA GT1 champ Lucas Luhr. John Dalziel and Miguel Potolicchio will team up in the third car with Gianni Potolicchio and Maurizio Scala in the fourth car.

While the battle up front looks like it will be between BMW M3s and Ford Mustangs there are numerous other cars competing. For example, Aston Martin Racing, which is making a return to domestic competition in North America, has joined forces with Toronto-based Multimatic Motorsports to enter a pair of Vantage GT4s in the series.

Scott Maxwell and Joe Foster will drive the lead car, while Patrick Dempsey will drive the second car. Chris Porritt, Aston Martin's Chief Engineer and vastly experienced Vantage GT4 driver, will compete alongside Dempsey in a one-off guest appearance.

There's even a single 2012 Subaru WRX STI developed specifically to compete in a class that sees larger cars developing over 400 horsepower. The Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) car is prepped and maintained by Joe Aquilante's Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, PA. His son Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude return as factory team drivers for Subaru's entry in the GS class.

The first round of the 2012 CTSCC is on Friday, the day before the 50th anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona The race last for two and a half hours with a mandatory driver change. Sadly if you can't make it to the Daytona Speedway to watch in person, you'll have to wait until Feb 4 to watch it on Speed TV at 12.00 pm ET.